Zefir
Apple marshmallow
Zefir (Зефир): airy apple marshmallow halves set with agar
Zefir sits in a paper box on almost every Russian tea table: pale, airy halves of apple marshmallow pressed together in pairs, softer and fruitier than any marshmallow. Factories in Moscow and Belyov made them famous, but home cooks pipe their own from baked Antonovka-style sour apples, sugar, egg white and agar. Agar keeps them vegetarian, unlike gelatine. The common mistake is undercooking the agar syrup; if it doesn't reach 110 °C, the zefir never sets and weeps. Chef's tip: bake the apples rather than boil them; the purée is thicker and the zefir far lighter.
- Total time
- 1500 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 18
Ingredients
For the apple base
- 1 ⅓ lb sour apples (Bramley or Antonovka)halved and cored
- 7 oz sugar
For the agar syrup
- ¼ oz agar powder
- ¾ cup water
- 14 oz sugar
To finish
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bake 1 ⅓ lb sour apples (Bramley or Antonovka) cut side down at 400°F (350°F fan) for 25–30 minutes until completely soft. Scrape out the flesh and push it through a sieve; you need about 250 g thick purée. Cool.
30 minStep 3: Soak ¼ oz agar powder in ¾ cup water for 10 minutes, then bring to the boil, add 14 oz sugar and boil, stirring, until it reaches 225°F on a thermometer (a drop forms a thin thread). Take off the heat.
10 minStep 4: With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and whisk for 3–4 more minutes until it holds shape and has cooled a little.
5 minStep 5: Work fast, as agar sets at about 104°F: pipe swirled rounds 5 cm across onto baking paper with a large star nozzle.
5 minStep 6: Leave uncovered at room temperature for 24 hours until a dry skin forms and they lift off the paper. Dust with 3 tbsp icing sugar and press the flat sides together in pairs. Keep airtight for up to a week.
1440 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zefir take?
- About 1500 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 1440 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 18 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sour apples (bramley or antonovka)?
- Pears, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Tea-time